


Serenades

by RosexKnight



Series: Tumblr Wedding Prompts [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 06:24:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8090992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosexKnight/pseuds/RosexKnight
Summary: “I jokingly told you that the only way i’d marry you was if you did this weird outlandish thing, and you actually did it, and i’m kind of charmed AU.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> (( Special thanks to standbyyourmantis and midstorm for helping me come up with the conditions in this fic. It took WAY too long to do and I’m sure y’all forgot you helped but you did and I appreciate it!! ))

One thing that was abundantly clear in Storybrooke was that Belle French and Mr. Gold hated each other. Or maybe they loved each other. In all honesty the town couldn’t tell anymore. Between the shouting matches they often got into on rent day, the half-hearted insults they gave each other as they passed on the street, the way Gold nudged Belle with his cane as he came into the diner for his usual lunch and the way she bumped him with her book as she left from hers, the glances they’d steal at each other while the other wasn’t looking, and the arguing about antique trinkets just as much as symbolism in classic books it was all very confusing for the town to keep up with.

“Oh my god.” Ruby groaned as she came over to refill Leroy’s coffee only to see Belle and Gold arguing about god-knows-what after Belle bumped him on her way out. “Would you two just get married already?”

The two of them cut short mid-sentence, which was good because it looked like Belle would be the one to start the yelling match today. For a moment the two looked at Ruby before glancing to each other. Belle was the first to break into a giggle.

“Come on Rubes if I married him I’d probably poison his coffee by day three.”

“If I married you I’d drink it.” Gold grumbled back, sipping his coffee as if to make a point.

Belle batted him on the shoulder, something he only grinned at. “You’d be so lucky to have me as your wife.”

“Funny I was going to say the same thing about you having me as your husband.”

She rolled her eyes. “Gold, the only way I’d marry you is if you serenaded me at midnight. Boombox outside my window playing ‘In Your eyes.’ and all.” He snorted, “And gave everyone a discount on rent. For three months.”

Gold didn’t bother to look at her, only held his mug tighter in his grip. “Well it’s a good thing you don’t want to marry me, dearie. Because there’s no way in hell I’d ever do that.”

“Good.” Belle said, snapping her open book shut and nodding to Ruby before moving to leave, strutting out the door with perhaps louder footsteps than usual.

“Next cup to go, Miss Lucas.” Gold said, and Ruby quirked an eyebrow at him. “And do make sure it’s hot.”

Ruby nodded, appearing a moment later with his drink. That was odd. Gold never took his coffee to go. And he gave her an actual genuine smile and left the money for his breakfast on the counter. Something was up. Something that Ruby couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of.

As per her usual schedule, the Library was closed the next day. After all, Belle had a routine, and Sunday’s were the perfect day to run her usual errands.

“Music?” She asked as she walked into Granny’s for breakfast, noting the music coming from the speakers that were usually quiet.

Ruby shrugged, “Granny thought it might bring in some more people. Make the place more lively between rushes and all.”

“Oh I see. Well, I’d like my usual please.” Belle said with a smile, taking her usual stool at the bar, thumbing the cover of her book before the music finally tickled her ear.

“In your eyes, the light the heat, in your eyes, I am complete, in your eyes”

Despite herself, Belle giggled. Ruby quirked a brow at her as she presented her with her glass of orange juice. “ Something funny?”

“Oh just the…” Belle began to gesture backwards, after all didn’t she say just yesterday Gold was supposed to serenade her with that song? It was a hilarious coincidence. “Nothing. Thank you.”

Ruby rolled her eyes, but the smile of her lips was genuine, and somehow Belle felt as if she were the one being left out of some joke.

She didn’t suspect anything until she got home. By the end of the day, she was quite tired of sappy love songs. They were everywhere that day. From the time she stepped into Granny’s it was nothing but “I love you’s” and being lost in love and vows. Coupled with the uncharacteristic smiles everyone was giving her and even a few thank you’s she got she felt like she was missing out on something huge. She was about to lose it.

Sighing, she settled at her desk for the night, the moonlight shining through her open window giving her plenty of light at her desk. Her radio, however, was taunting her. Sitting there. Practically itching for her to turn the dial and fill her room with some much-needed background noise as she let her mind go blank from the day and forget all about the joke she was missing.

She’d take a chance.

If it was another damn love song she was going to scream.

“Good evening Storybrooke!” The familiar voice chimed. “This is the Mad Hatter with Looking Glass Radio, starting off our line-up with a special song tonight. A request from a secret admirer to a lucky lady out there”

Oh no.

“She’s a lucky one, whoever she is. Small town though. Maybe we can guess. Either way, I can’t wait to hear what kind of love she’s getting tonight. Good luck, you two.”

Belle groaned, letting her head fall into her hands as Katy Perry began singing about how she’d love whoever it was she was pining for unconditionally. There was no escape tonight. Whatever powers that be stated that today she’d be tortured with love songs, and she could only pray tomorrow wasn’t disco.

Still, she supposed as she turned to her computer screen, whoever the lady with the secret admirer was had a great amount of luck on her side. This was a very sweet gesture, assuming she was listening, almost like being serenaded. That would be–

Belle’s body went cold and an odd sense of foreboding churned deep in her gut. Serenaded. Her first song had been. No. He couldn’t have. Not Mr. Gold. Not the terrible Mr. Gold who nudged her with her cane and drove her insane. He wouldn’t have taken her little quip seriously…would he?

All at once, she was a flurry of motion. In no time she had a pen and paper, retracing her steps in her mind.

At Granny’s it had been “In Your Eyes.” At the Pharmacy it was “Lost in Love.” At the Grocery store “Open Arms.” At the Library, “Valentine.” Each of them had a purpose. Nothing was happening on accident. He’d mapped out her route. Picked just the right songs. Right down to her nightly cup of wine and radio noise. I. L. O. V. E. Y. O. U.

“He…”

Everything made sense. The music she’d been hearing. The gratitude from the residents of Storybrooke, tennants that didn’t have to pay rent for three months. But more than that. His behavior. Their quips. The way her heart always skipped a beat when his brogue danced over his name. The way he constantly made jabs at her. The way he went out of his way to finish books early but keep them until they were overdue. The way she always made sure to walk right by the Pawn Shop every damn day. The way–

Another melody floated through her window as Katy Perry’s song faded away. Belle swallowed, waiting a few bars, making sure it wasn’t a dream after all. Since when was she even hoping it wasn’t a dream???

“I’m forever yours…Faithfully.”

Clearing her throat, she opened her window to see Gold standing on her lawn, leaning heavily on his cane by a boom box. He seemed to deflate as she smiled, and Belle realized he’d been just as nervous as her. Maybe he didn’t expect her to look out the window at all.

Goddammit she was going to have to marry the man wasn’t she?

“I believe I asked to be serenaded with In Your Eyes out my window.” Belle called down.

Gold grinned. “You have poor taste in music, Miss French.”

“Says the man who’s been playing me sappy love songs all day.”

“I was just trying to widen your library a bit.”

“It’s not midnight either.”

“I can come back in a few hours.”

Belle giggled, shaking her head. This was happening. It was Gold and it was happening.

“Shall I take a knee now or wait until we have dinner tomorrow night?” He called up to her, the game grin on his face he always wore around her.

She quirked her eyebrow. “Oh so now we’re having dinner?”

“Well we do have to discuss the rest of our deal.”

“Yes…” Belle said, nibbling on her lower lip, suddenly feeling all at once vulnerable. As if she were caught with all the feelings of the past bundled up and folded onto her sleeve. And for his part, Gold looked the same way. “Yes I suppose we do…”


End file.
